Kirkus Reviews

What if the market was closed when you wanted to bake a pie? You could embark for Europe, learn Italian en route, and pick up some semolina wheat in Italy, an egg in France, kurundu bark for cinnamon in Sri Lanka, and an entire cow in England (butter) before coming home via Jamaica (sugar) and Vermont (apples). The expertly designed illustrations in which a dark-haired lass journeys by various means to these interesting places to get her groceries are lovely and lively, and the narrative, too, travels at a spritely pace. The journey is neither quite logical enough to be truly informative nor quite bizarre enough to be satisfyingly silly, while the rich, sweet recipe that's appended will take some adult assistance. Still, fun. (Picture book. 4-8)"

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Singling out the """"offbeat nostalgia"""" of the """"energetic"""" watercolors in this tale of a round-the-world grocery trip, PW called Priceman """"a master of whimsy."""" Ages 4-8. (Oct.)

Starred Review ALA Booklist

Starred Review From the world map on the endpapers to the logical nonsense of the text to the appended recipe for apple pie, this has that quality elusive to so many picture books--it's just right. Best known for illustrating Rachel Fister's Blister (1990), Priceman here provides a simple, satisfying story line as well as full-color artwork that's naive in style and vivacious in spirit. Resembling a slightly older version of Madeline, the book's engaging narrator instructs readers in making apple pie. It's easy if the market's open. If not (and you'll be glad it isn't), you're in for a trip around the world to collect the ingredients: superb semolina wheat from Italy, eggs from France, cinnamon from Sri Lanka, milk from England, salt from seawater, sugar from Jamaica, and apples from Vermont. Then an energetic two-page spread shows our heroine putting it all together and coming up with a pie, but that's not the end; that would be too simple. Priceman's ending, the sort that storytellers hope for, promises to leave children laughing. Libraries in apple-growing regions should consider purchasing multiple copies since every preschool and primary-grade teacher in town will want a copy to read aloud before the annual class trip to the orchard. (Reviewed Apr. 15, 1994)

Horn Book

An amusing how-to book on making an apple pie starts when a young girl finds the market closed. She sets out to find the ingredients in their original forms, starting with wheat in Italy and then moving on to France for the chicken (to lay the egg), to Sri Lanka for the cinnamon, and so on. The story is illustrated with light, cheerful pictures of the determined girl and her international destinations. Recipe included.

School Library Journal

Gr 1-3-In this whimsical, geographical shopping journey, a young baker thinks of how to proceed if the market is closed. She directs readers, via various modes of transportation, to gather seminola wheat in Italy, a chicken (for its egg) in France, bark from the kurundu (cinnamon) tree in Sri Lanka, a cow (for butter) in England, salt water and sugar cane in Jamaica, and apples in Vermont. Processing the worldly ingredients is quickly handled, a pie is baked, and friends are invited to share. A look around the table reveals children from all of the countries in which the foods have been found. A recipe for apple pie appears on the last page. The brightly colored pictures are fanciful, revealing cheerful, busy people working in towns, fields, and forests of the various countries. The purposeful girl in a green pinafore collects her ingredients with enthusiasm and good cheer. A lighthearted, pleasurable selection.-Carolyn Jenks, First Parish Unitarian Church, Portland, ME